Apparatus for improving and preserving channels of steams.



No. 659,|22. Patented oct. 2 1900.. M. w. BELL.

APPARATUS FOR IMPRUVING ANDHPR'ESERVING CHANNELS UF STREAMS.

(Applicazian med June 1, 1900.) (No Model.) SSheets-Sheet l.

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No. 659,|22. Patented Oct. 2, |900.

APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING AND PRE'SERAVIENG CHANNELS 0F STREAMS.

(Application led. June 1, 1900.;

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheqt 2.

' JMVMIINiHls-Ml l!',| lil No. 659,|22. Patented Oct. 2, |900. M. W.BELL.

APPARATUS FDR IMPROVING AND PRESERVING CHANNELS 0F STREAMS.

(Application ld June 1, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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MIL-TON WILKES BELL, OFYNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING AND PRESERVING CHANNELS OF STREAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,122, dated October 2, 1900.

Appiicauon ned rune 1, 1900'.

T @liu/hom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, MILTON WILKEs BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Improving and Preserving the Channels of Streams and other Watercourses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for improving and preserving'clnalnnels in riversand other watercourses; and' it has for its object the production of an apparatus by means of which an erosive or scouring action may be given to the bottom of such stream or watercourse for the purpose ofA removing accumulated material upon the bottom of such watercourses. l

It is known that the deposit of silt or sediment at the bottom of a stream or other watercourse by reducing itsdepth consequently reduces its capacity', and when freshets occur an overliow follows. It is also known that the current of a deep river or similar wa tercourse is swifter uponA the surface than at the bottom thereof, the current at the bottom of the stream not being strong enough under ordinary'conditions to carry along with it any accumulation of sediment.

My invention consists in a novel apparatus for deiiecting a portion'of the current from a point at or near the surface of the stream and concentrating it at the bottom of the stream. The apparatus is so constructed as to permit of an adjustment thereof to such points or along such lines where it may be utilized to the greatest advantage.

My invention may be understood from the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are represented by the same letters throughout the various views.

Figure l is a front elevation of my apparatus in working position. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 in Figs. I and 2, and Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the apparatus shown in Fig. l.

A A represent two barges or iioats, the buoyancy of which constitutes a support for the working parts of the apparatus. These Serial No. 18,766. '.No model.)

barges or floats A A are secured together by means 0f any suitable arrangement of braces, such as is shown most clearly in Fig. 3, and at the rear end of such barges or floats is preferably mounted a platform A, which spans the space between the two barges or floats A A. This platform A constitutes a convenient and rigid base or support. for a mast A2 and a derrick-boom A3, jointed to the said mast. A suitable arrangement of ropes and pulleys is used in connection with the said derrick, as hereinafter described.r

Beneath or near the surface of the water and between the barges or ioats A A is rigidly mounted a large hollowtube B. This hollow tube B is supported by means of suitable braces connected with the barges or floats A A and may be of any suitable or preferred shape. It is preferably somewhat funnelshaped and arranged with its larger end upstream. The tube B has a downward deflection downstream, and in order that the discharge end of said tube may be adjusted vertically or laterally, if desired, some sort of a joint or similar arrangement is provided therefor. In the drawings I have shown a joint in the nature of a ball-and-socket joint. As shown, the rigid portion of the tube B is provided at its lower end with a rounded enlargement b, which constitutes the male member of the ball-and-socket joint, while the adjustable portion B' of the tube B is provided with an enlarged socket b', constituting the female member of the ball-and-socket joint. I do not, however, wish to limit myself to the use of this sort of a joint, as it may be found in practice that a joint of different construction would be preferable, and instead of having the deiecting-tube B in two sections and jointedit may have a rigid pivotal support at or near its forward or receiving end and provided with means at its rear or discharge end for raising or lowering the latter end to suit the depth of the vstream being treated. The apparatus may depend entirely uponthe` rforce of the current at the surfaceof thev lstream deflected downward through the tube B to produce the scouring or erosive eect ;desired,or means may be provided for accelerating the passage of water through the vtube B and its discharge from said tube at the bottom of the stream. For producing a forced or accelerated current of wat-er through the tube B, I mount within the tube at the mouth B2 a wheel C, having blades C' set thereon at an angle, after the manner of a fan or propeller, as seen most clearly in Fig. 1. Upon the axis of this'wheel C is rigidly mounted one or more sprocket-gears c c', (shown in Fig. 2,)-and over such gear or gears may run a chain or chains for driving the wheel.

A simple means for giving positive rotation to the wheel C is shown in the accompanying drawings, and it consists of a pair of bladed propellers D D', arranged to be driven by the force of the current of the stream. These propellers D D' are journaled in the opposite ends of a suitable frame E, which is arranged beneath the apparatus transversely of said barges or floats, and being fixed thereto is supported thereby. The propellers D D' are provided with blades d d' considerably larger than the blades of the suction-wheel C, so as to present to the current a larger working surface than is presented by the wheel C. The wheels D D' are provided at their hubs with sprocketgears d5 d4, and over these sprocket-gears run endless chains F F', the said chains also running independently over the sprocket-gears c c' on the hub of the wheel C. The gears d3 d4 are of greater diameter than the gears c c', and consequently rotation of the propellers D D' will impart a more rapid rotation to the bladed suction-wheel C, the force of the stream against each being, however, the same. By these meansthe suction-wheel C will be rotated with slifeient rapidity to accelerate the passage of the current into and through the tube B. The rear orlower end B' of the tube being reduced also gives to the current of wateras it is discharged therefrom an increased force and velocity.

In operation the apparatus is anchored at the desired point oris slowly drawn upstream. The force of the cu rrent of the stream, whether the apparatus be stationary or drawn along, causes the rotation of the propellers D D', and these, through the gearing hereinbefore described, causes a more rapid rotation of the bladed suction-wheel C. A portion of the current of the stream near the surface would ordinarily be deflected downward through the tube B; but this natural tendency is assisted materially by the suction created by the rotation of the bladed wheel C in the mouth of the tube B. This current of water passing downwardly and rearwardly through the tube B is discharged from the smaller end of said tube upon the bottom of the stream and produces thereon an erosive or scouring effect which causes agitation of the sediment at the bottom of the stream, which is carried along by the force of the current and is distributed over a large area before it again setties.

I do not wish to limit myself to the details of construction hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings, as

many modifications therein and in the arrangement thereof might be made which would be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an apparatus for improving and preserving the channels of streams and watercourses, the combination with a float; of a tubular deflector supported by the said float and submerged for its entire length beneath the surface ofthe water; and means operated by the current or resistance of the body of water, for accelerating the passage of a current of water through said detlector, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for improving and preserving the channels of streams and Watercourses, the combination with a float; of a fun nel-shaped tubular detlector supported by the said oat and submerged for its entire length beneath the surface of the water; and means operated by the current or resistance of the body of water for accelerating the passage of a current of water through said deector, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for improving and preserving the channels of streams and watercourses, the combination with a float; of a tubular deiiector supported by the said float and submerged forits entire length beneath the surface of the Water; means for varying the inclination of said deector; and means operated bythe current or resistance of the body of water for accelerating the passage of a current of Water through said deilector, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for improving and preserving the channels of streams and Watercourses, the combination with a float; of a tubular deflector comprising two entirely-submerged members connected by a universal IOO IIO

joint permitting deflection of the discharge member both laterally and vertically; means for varying the direction of the said discharge member; and means operated by the current or resistance of the body of water, for accelerating the passage of a current of water through said detlector, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for improving and preserving the channels of streams and Watercourses, the combination with a fioat; of a tubular deflector supported thereby, and sub merged throughout its entire length; and a suction wheel or wheels mounted in the receiving end of said deflector and operated by the current or resistance of the body of water, for accelerating the passage of a current of water through said deector, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for improving and preserving the channels of streams and watercourses, the combination with a float; of a tubular deflector supported thereby; a bladed suction Wheel or wheels rotatably mounted in tbe receiving end of said delector-tube; and means operated by the current or resistance of the body of Water, for positively rotating said suction wheel or wheels, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for improving and preserving the channels of streams and watercourses, the combination with a float; of a tubular detlector supported thereby; a bladed suction wheel or wheels rotatably mounted in the receiving end of said deiiector-tube; one or more bladed wheels driven by the pressure of the current of the stream or watercourse, and gearing between said wheels and the said suction-Wheel for im parting positive rotation to the latter, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for improving and. pre- C. J. BELL, JOHN J. SAUCIER. 

